INEC preaches peace, mobilises 2,970 officials for Abia by- election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has warned politicians against violence and other acts capable of creating apprehension during this weekend’s Aba North/ South Federal Constituency byelection in Abia State.

Its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who gave the warning yesterday, declared the readiness of the commission for the poll.

According to him, violent and unwholesome acts undermine the sovereign rights of the people to clean elections and deprive the constituency of quality representation.

He said 498,390 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at 609 polling units spread across 24 Registration Areas ( RAS) in the two councils that make up the constituency, adding that the electoral umpire would deploy over 2,970 officials for the exercise.

Okoye continued: “All the non- sensitive materials required for the conduct of the election at the two Local Government Areas of the constituency have been delivered and batched according to the Registration Areas. All the ad hoc staff required for the conduct of the election have been trained and are awaiting deployment.

“All the sensitive materials have been delivered to the

Central Bank ( of Nigeria) in Umuahia, Abia State and will be inspected on Thursday, March 25, 2021 and dispatched to the two Local Government Area offices of the Commission. “The Commission calls on all the registered voters in the constituency to come out en masse to exercise their franchise as representation is at the heart of democracy and huge voter turn- out enforces and reinforces the mandate given to elected representatives.”